<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>three's company by benditlikepress</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28011108">three's company</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/benditlikepress/pseuds/benditlikepress'>benditlikepress</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>NCIS</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Humor, McGee is tired tm, Sharing a Bed, this is basically crack and i dont regret it one bit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 20:41:19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,882</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28011108</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/benditlikepress/pseuds/benditlikepress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>McGee is less than enthusiastic at the prospect of sharing a hotel room with Tony and Ziva while on a case.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ziva David/Anthony DiNozzo</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>94</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>three's company</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“I’m afraid the one room is the best we can do at short notice. Would you like to take it?”</p><p>Ziva looked at McGee who vaguely nodded as she rubbed his eyes. Somewhere over her shoulder, she heard Tony deep in discussion with Gibbs. She rolled her ankle as she considered.</p><p>“Yes, that is fine. We have had worse.”</p><p>The hotel receptionist smiled at her a little strangely. “If you just wait a minute, I’ll get your keys.”</p><p>A hand placed itself on Ziva’s shoulder and she turned as Tony’s face lingered over her.</p><p>“Everything alright?”</p><p>“Two double beds.”</p><p>“Eh, that’ll do.”</p><p>Often travelling on short notice, the team was used to having to occasionally share rooms with each other. One room between the three of them, though, was new - a problem forced by the decision someone had made to commit espionage with a side of murder out in the wilderness in the height of holiday season. </p><p>The second spare room left at the only hotel in town, a small single, had been given to Gibbs without discussion. None of them even wanted to contemplate having to share a room with him, let alone a bed.</p><p>Tony picked up the bags from Ziva’s feet and for once she didn’t object to the action, feeling the heat in her joints as they walked down the long corridor towards the elevators. She had twisted her ankle walking through the woods earlier and it still ached as she walked, joining the other tired muscles after their expeditions. She had thought up until now she’d been covering the pain well on habit, particularly from Tony, who had in his defence only laughed for 30 seconds after watching her fall onto the wet ground. </p><p>The room was at the opposite end of the long first floor corridor to Gibbs’ and fairly cramped, and Ziva was certain it wasn’t intended to contain two double beds. There was a thin two-seater along the back wall, a wall-mounted TV, and a desk with a hard-backed chair as the only other features.</p><p>“Pretty cramped, huh?”</p><p>“Beggars can’t be choosers.” Tony shrugged off the situation much quicker than Ziva would’ve expected. They were all a little more giddy and a little more grouchy than usual, hours in the car followed by hours walking the woods taking a toll. </p><p>"How is it possible the three of us have never shared a room before?" </p><p>"My good luck, mainly." McGee commented as he looked out of the window into the car park.</p><p>“You talk a big game for a sleep talker, McGee.”</p><p>“I don’t sleep talk.”</p><p>“Eh, let’s wait until morning and see what Ziva says. So, how are we gonna do this?" Tony didn't wait for an answer before dumping his bag on the bed by the window. Ziva looked between the two and the almost impossibly thin couch. </p><p>"I am not sure anyone can sleep on that. We will have to share." </p><p>McGee's sigh of derision was audible. It was funny that the three of them so rarely ended up all together in a situation like this. </p><p>"Hey, you just be thankful you're not staring down the barrel of a night spooning Gibbs." </p><p>“Thanks for that image, DiNozzo. We'll just.. we'll manage." </p><p>It was Tony's turn to look alarmed, and suddenly he was crossing the room towards Ziva and grabbing her arm with both of his hands. </p><p>"I will pay you a million dollars if you share with him instead. I shared with him once, never again. He kicked me the entire night." </p><p>"A natural reaction to your presence. But no, I will share with you." </p><p>"Oh, I don't think.." McGee's reaction was almost visceral at the suggestion. Ziva frowned. </p><p>"Tony and I have shared a bed many times, McGee, it is really not a problem." </p><p>“Yeah, sure. You probably booked out the other rooms on purpose, huh?” Tony raised his eyebrows at Ziva and she smirked even as she rolled her eyes.</p><p>“You have seen right through me. I could not resist the opportunity.”</p><p>“Yeah, you really aren’t subtle about it.”</p><p>It was a joke, but Ziva still felt a tiny flit of self-consciousness pass through her as she began to unpack her things. McGee had remained quiet throughout this exchange, but as conversation between Tony and Ziva devolved into further innuendo Ziva noticed his silence had become more pronounced.</p><p>“Are you alright, McGee?”</p><p>“Huh? Yeah, I’m fine.” The question seemed to jolt him out of a thought and he looked down at the zipped bag in front of him, pausing for a moment before unzipping it quickly and then stopping again.</p><p>"Guys, do you think tonight you could.." McGee began speaking confidently and then abruptly cut himself off. </p><p>"What?" </p><p>"Y'know, never mind. Doesn't matter. You know what I was thinking. Just don't, please." </p><p>"I have no idea what's going on." </p><p>"McGee is asking us to not have sex in this room tonight." Ziva clarified matter-of-factly. Tony’s eyes widened a little as they fixed on her.</p><p>"Oh, thanks for saying it." McGee rolled his eyes, distinctly uncomfortable. The implication was, of course, that this was something he thought happened between them in these circumstances. The kind of blurred, hands fumbling, dark-lit event that Tony and Ziva didn’t usually discuss out loud.</p><p>"I.. didn't realise that was a consideration for tonight, I was planning to watch Pulp Fiction. But, y'know, if sex is what McGee is expecting, then maybe.." Tony had recovered quickly from his surprise into a grin and easy innuendo that made Ziva think of the first time they’d been in a situation like this.</p><p>"Leave him alone, Tony."</p><p>Truthfully, Ziva understood McGee’s trepidation. Though she was fairly sure they’d never done anything to make him uncomfortable, there was enough assumed knowledge on all parts to make him question what happened behind closed doors. He’d shown something of a morbid curiosity towards their relationship when they were apart in the past, but it had always been from a distance. She supposed watching the two of them share a bed via hidden cameras was a very different experience to the real thing.</p><p>“I just can’t believe you said it. Didn’t know you had it in you, Timmy.”</p><p>"I think it's important to have boundaries."</p><p>"Yeah, well, good going. Now you've made us all uncomfortable."</p><p>"Technically it was Ziva who..." McGee trailed off, thinking better of it as Ziva gave Tony a look.</p><p>In turn, Tony looked back at her silently before something flashed across his brain and he looked back at McGee with mischief in his eyes."It’s little ironic, though, coming from you. Don't think we've forgotten about your smutty fantasies.” </p><p>".. My <em>what</em>?!" </p><p>"Deep Six, and the sand and the sweat and the bodies." </p><p>McGee became flustered in an instant, and Ziva could see his instinct to raise the pitch of his voice being battled down. He sighed. "Deep Six was a crime thriller, Tony. That scene was a dream. And, for the last time, it wasn't about you guys." </p><p>Before Tony could continue the argument, Ziva hummed. "I do not think I have ever seen Pulp Fiction."</p><p>The look of confusion and disbelief on Tony's face was utterly predictable. "Alright, screw the sex. We're watching it." </p><p>Ziva actually <em>had</em> seen Pulp Fiction. It was one of very few movies she'd actually deigned to watch rather than just reading an analysis of during her brief attempt to learn about the medium several years before. </p><p>Watching a movie with Tony, though, was a completely different experience, and she had to admit (if only secretly to herself) that she did oddly enjoy seeing them through his eyes. His excitement grew at the thought of explaining it to her, and she felt her tired jitters relax as three of them settled down into the night.</p><hr/><p>They did end up watching Pulp Fiction in the end, sat on their beds with their legs crossed in a strange form of sleepover. </p><p>Tony and Ziva had settled and resettled until they ended up almost touching sides, subconsciously seeking each other out. Tony's fingertips had been a near-constant presence on her shoulder as he tapped her to talk about things to do with the movie, at least until near the hour mark when McGee finally snapped and asked him to be quiet. </p><p>As the final credits rolled, all three agents stayed quiet as they lazily reclined on their beds. Ziva was sure that Tony’s back was hurting from a couple of hours in the diagonal position he’d been lying in, and when his phone began to ring shortly after they switched off the TV he groaned as he stood up.</p><p>"Boss [..] Alright, sounds- [..] what, for how long? I - copy that. [..] We've just been watching a movie. [..] Yeah, alright. Night, boss."</p><p>He hung up with a sigh, dropping his phone onto the bed before yawning and stretching his arms over his head.</p><p>"McGee, you and bossman are visiting the family tomorrow before liaising with the FBI to see where they’re at. Us two are back in the woods meeting local PD." Tony shuddered as though his body already ached at the thought.</p><p>“Did he say what time?”</p><p>“He wants to meet downstairs at 6.”</p><p>The two men both sighed in pre-emptive exhaustion. “You know, in spite of everything I’ve said I'd pick being in here with you guys any day over being in a room with Gibbs who wakes up at 4am."</p><p>"Spoken like someone who's never shared a bed with Ziva."</p><p>“Weirdly, that’s never been an inevitably for me.” There was an accusation in McGee’s tone, playful and knowing, and Tony was surprisingly caught off-guard. His eyes flickered to Ziva for a brief second and she interjected.</p><p>"Would you prefer it if I slept on the couch?"</p><p>"What? No, that's ridiculous. I've seen you guys share a bed before.”</p><p>"Undercover."</p><p>"Yeah, and the rest." His tone was sarcastic again, and a little jovial, and Tony and Ziva shared another guilty look. There was no way he could know for sure, of course, what happened that weekend. But it seemed as though he had a pretty good idea.</p><p>"And what does that mean?"</p><p>"Nothing. It means nothing. Can we just get ready for bed?”</p><p>“Yes. Please. I would like to be able to walk in the morning, and a lack of sleep is not going to help.”</p><hr/><p>Ziva managed to get in the shower first without much protestation, washing away hours of hiking from her skin. </p><p>She dressed into a vest and shorts before re-entering the bedroom, feeling a flicker of excitement in her stomach at the way Tony’s eyes drew over her skin as she took her time walking around and taking out and replacing various products from her bag. She began massaging her ankle joint when she stretched out on the bed, ignoring the way her hair dripped onto her pillow as she soothed the stiffness. </p><p>Tony eventually dragged his eyes away for long enough to shower himself, allowing her to dry her hair while McGee typed something up on his laptop.</p><p>She took her book from the bag by the bed and read a couple of pages as Tony exited the bathroom and McGee ducked inside to get ready for bed, watching her partner over the top of the cover as he threw things around the room and dried his hair with a towel.</p><p>“Turn the light off.” She eventually called out to McGee when he re-entered the room, abandoning her book completely.</p><p>Tearing her eyes away from Tony’s chaotic routines as the light flickered, Ziva flipped her pillow over to the dry side and flattened out it’s too-perfect hotel bed fluffiness. When Tony got into the opposite side, he splayed his limbs boisterously as he pulled up the blankets to get inside and Ziva sighed loudly to object. He shot her a sarcastic grin with his teeth shining in the dim light as he lay down, a little too close to her.</p><p>"Why is this <em>wet</em>?" There was a drop of disgust in Tony's voice as he bashed at the corner of Ziva's pillow.</p><p>"It is just from my hair. Stay over there and you will not notice." </p><p>He shoved it further out of his way, creating a small gap between their pillows. Ziva rolled her eyes at him as he turned over to face away from her, making a show of placing his head carefully on his own pillow.</p><p>Ziva settled down herself, and as she moved her feet under the covers to warm them up they pressed against the back of Tony’s calves. He jolted like he’d been shocked.</p><p>"Did you shower in ice?!" Tony hissed as he pushed Ziva's feet away with his own. She sighed and wrapped the covers around them. "Oh yeah, sure, take all the blankets." There was a distinct humour to his voice, and his attempts to win them back were more playful than sharp. He turned over again so he was facing her, and the gap between them thinned.</p><p>"You cannot have it both ways." </p><p>Ziva batted his arm and a scuffle broke out. </p><p>"Guys." McGee's voice was a little elevated from the other bed. "I'm serious." </p><p>"Relax, McThirdWheel." </p><p>"Sorry, McGee. We are just fooling around." </p><p>"That.." Tony interrupted her quickly, "that word has implications, Ziva." </p><p>"Oh. Sorry. Tony was being a child." </p><p>“You’re the one who can’t stop fidgeting your freezing limbs all over the bed.”</p><p>"Why are you so hot?" </p><p>"I don't know. I'm also pretty warm." </p><p>Ziva tried her best to bite back a laugh as she glowered at him, and McGee laughed in spite of himself. </p><p>"You've gotta try harder than that, that one's too easy." </p><p>Ziva ignored their conversation as she grabbed Tony's hand and felt the clammy palm. "I hope you are not getting sick." </p><p>"He's allergic to exercise." McGee's mumble was muffled, presumably by his pillow, as Ziva pressed the back of her hand against Tony's forehead. </p><p>"Oh yeah? Well, I know who's winning a 100m between the two of us. Get off," Tony pulled Ziva's hand away with a smirking irritation. </p><p>"Sometimes I miss when you hated each other." </p><p>“We have never hated each other.”</p><p>“At least you used to pretend.”</p><p>Though it was a joke, the unintended meaning behind it made Ziva's breath hitch slightly as she felt Tony stiffen, just a little, beside her. They weren't touching but they didn't need to be for her to feel an atmosphere change as the silence elongated. </p><p>"Night, McGee." Though the words weren't directed at her, Ziva could feel Tony's eyes trained on her in the dark. </p><p>"Yeah, night." </p><p>The silence clung on, broken only by the sounds of McGee turning over and the rustling of covers. Ziva felt for a moment as though she was holding her breath, still not quite sure what was going on even as Tony shifted and got comfortable himself. Still on his side, facing her. </p><p>"You OK?" Tony's voice was quiet and light, mostly a whisper in the vicinity of her hair. Ziva looked up to meet his eyes in confusion. "Your wipe-out earlier." </p><p>"Oh." On cue, ache radiated through the inside of her ankle. "It is fine, I told you." </p><p>"Well, don't you start kicking me too."</p><p>"I won't. Only if you deserve it."</p><p>"<em>Ha ha</em>. You want me to do something to it?" </p><p>"Honestly, Tony, it is fine." </p><p>There was a secret comfort in his question, voice even quieter against her ear as Ziva considered the prospect of her ankle in his hands under the covers.</p><p>“Sure? I’m told I have magic fingers.”</p><p>“I believe you.” Ziva tilted her head to meet Tony’s gaze, and she could just about make out the shine of his eyes in the dim light strobing in underneath the curtains. The smile was clear on them even if she couldn’t quite make out his other features. “I do not think McGee would like it.”</p><p>Tony exhaled a chuckle as he glanced behind Ziva at McGee’s curled form in the next bed, and Ziva felt his warm breath on her skin.</p><p>"He's just jealous." </p><p>“Is that so?”</p><p>“Oh, it’s obvious.”</p><p>“Of me or of you?”</p><p>“Jealous he doesn’t have a cool partner to hang with.”</p><p>“Ah, so he is jealous of you then, for ending up with me. You got lucky.” Ziva could feel her over-tiredness reflecting in her choice of words as she spoke, a little too giddy.</p><p>“I think so.” His voice was heavy for the moment and Ziva’s mind started to whisper to quit while they were still ahead. Taking a turn like that tonight wasn’t the most considerate of ideas, McGee breathing slowly a couple of feet away.</p><p>“That is the tiredness talking.”</p><p>“Uh-huh. Makes me soft.” The final word was spoken against her shoulder and Ziva couldn’t help but push into the touch as his face slowly pulled away again.</p><p>“Goodnight, Tony.”</p><p>“Night.”</p><p>She could still feel his eyes burning into hers in the dark, and the sightless game of chicken continued for a couple of seconds before Ziva squeezed hers shut tightly and burrowed further under the blankets.</p><p>Her foot ended up between Tony's shins. His forearm crept onto the edge of her pillow. She smiled, allowing sleep to take her slowly.  </p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>